Great Lakes Performance Diesel Great Lakes Diesel Great Lakes Diesel and Rick Plauman is a RIP OFF!!! Lackawanna, New York

To kick up the horse the shop couldnt "tune" the turbo..they would have to purchase the recommended one from cat to install...only cats fault if it blows up.
Also..dark black smoke is not cause by the turbop.
I would lean toward the afrc or advance
and the 3406"c" will shoot out some smoke when you give it the pedal and use the full 800hp.
I would also say that it would help get a cleaner exhaust if you put in 1/2 gal pure cetane when its filled up for a couple of months !

In the summer of 2009, I purchased a high performance Caterpillar diesel engine from Fredrick "Rick" Plauman, owner of Great Lakes Diesel Engine, LLC in Lackawanna, New York. Rick Plauman, Great Lakes Diesel Engines, LLC, myself and my son have resolved our differences.

Obviously, the comments posted here are troubling because they simply don't paint the proper picture of what Great Lakes Diesel is about. It should also be pointed out that of my endless line of customers, only one seems to complain. It started as a misunderstanding and has blown into a series of threads questioning my integrity, professionalism and workmanship, so much that I feel the need to defend my name. Did this customer have a turbo failure in Arizona? Yes, but I exhausted every possibility of making things right and nothing seemed to be good enough. The customer complained of how the truck ran and the black smoke, etc. After setting him up for 800 hp, I test drove the vehicle at the right RPM and it performed remarkably. I also switched turbos for him on three occasions to keep him happy, all at my cost, along the way renting him a car so he could go home. I then switched turbos again, once again at my own expense. It became clear to me--and is also clear from the comments from other drivers--that this customer doesn't yet have the skills to handle a vehicle like this properly. His second truck is still in my yard, and I haven't charged him a penny for storage. He's welcome to pick it up at any time, and I will give him a 5EK running engine for free, or build him a new 3406C engine. I'm an honest, professional business owner who runs a well-respected business, one that's been built on the principles, professionalism and know-how I've gained through decades in this industry. I invite any critics or prospective customers to visit my website, www.GreatLakesDieselEngine.net. In response to the comments posted about Great Lakes Diesel, I feel I have done all I can to satisfy this customer, and if there are feelings of ill will, I truly regret it. My record stands for itself, and every customer I've had--many of them professional drivers who have navigated this country's highways for decade after decade, will attest to the kind of honesty, integrity and work that define my business.

As of a couple days ago I have been contacted by Rick and he is attempting to work out our problems.  He has promised to fix all of our problems including building us another motor and fixing any problems he had.  I will keep this updated as progress happens.